Too far from safety
by GawdOfMischief
Summary: Daryl finds out about Carol's banishment and goes to track her down, but how can he do that when she keeps on traveling forward? - "I find the map and draw a straight line, over rivers, farms, and state lines. The distance from 'A' to where you'd be, it's only finger-lengths that I see."
1. Chapter one, traveling days

**I don't own AMC's TWD, which is quite obvious. I just love this pairing, a lot. I RP in first person but write this in third person, so I'm if there are some things in first person POV, if you see it; please tell me. Feel free to post reviews etc, tell me what you think! - L.  
**

* * *

_"Whataya mean you let her go?!"_  
"_Daryl, you know she-"_

Daryl's oceanic colored eyes narrowed right away after Rick informed him about Carol's banishment. Of course, Rick should've seen Daryl's reaction coming; after all, Carol and Daryl became quite.. close. As hard as it was to admit, but it was true. Carol was there for Daryl and he was there for her. Slowly Daryl shook his head as he even refused to listen to what Rick had to say, instead he just stormed off to the nearest vehicle, grumbling and cursing beneath his breath. Although Rick had quite a point by banishing Carol, after all she did what she shouldn't have done in the first place, killing two members of the group. But on the other hand, she did it with the right reasons. But leaving her out there, on her own, was the dumbest thing Rick has ever done. Daryl's hand quickly reached out to open the car door before he dropped himself in the driver's seat and revived the engine using the key which was still in the ignition, he dropped his crossbow on the backseat while listening to Rick's failing attempt in stopping him, Daryl shook his head.

_"I'm going after her,"_

His voice still loud and harsh as a sign of anger was mixed in the back of his throat causing him to growl it out instead of actually murmuring it. He slammed the door shut as he watched Rick taking his steps away from the vehicle, noticing the sign of defeat on his face, he knew that he couldn't stop Daryl. A short breath left Rick's lips as he dropped his head whilst standing there, watching Daryl drive closer towards the gates where Maggie was standing, ready to open them up for him. Daryl's way of thinking was quite irrational right now, but letting him go after Carol was the best thing to do, though it didn't feel right but what else could Rick do? A short frown formed upon Rick's forehead as he stood there, his shoulders dropping as if regret made them heavier to the point he couldn't hold it anymore, his lips forced into a thin line as Daryl slowly sped up and drove out of the gates – into the open.

* * *

A deep sigh left Carol's lips as she stopped her car on the middle of the road. She was driving what felt like days, and now that she thought about it, it was the truth. She was on the road for almost three days now, she only stopped sometimes to get something to drink or to eat, and to refill the tank. And now she's so far from the group, with barely anything left, she felt how the world became harder within the days. Coming to realization she was better off back in the prison, at least she wasn't alone and vulnerable. She tightened her grip onto the wheel as the thoughts depressed her even more. Damn it, she missed them! She missed Lizzie and Mika, and Daryl.. Tears starting to pool in her soft blue eyes as she rested her forehead against the wheel, sniffling softly before she took in a deep breath and allowed her eyes to close. She wondered if there would've been a possibility that she could return, and hold the girls she promised to take care of. A short cry left her lips as the thought of the two young girls, being scared and alone raced through her mind and broke her down.

"_No..,"_

She softly spoke to herself, in an attempt to bring back the courage she had during these long days. She took in another deep breath whilst lifting her head from the wheel and gazed through the windshield, looking at the road she was taking before she just nodded and swallowed back the tears. This was her own fault, she just wanted the others to be safe and healthy, and now she's paying the consequences of what she has done, there was no time to feel sorry for herself. Carol turned her head to look down at the passenger's seat where her map was lying and traced her index finger along the line which resembled the road she was driving on, until it stopped at a right turn. She wasn't away from a small town, and by all her travel experience she has gained during the end of the world, she knew that it either had to be another dead end or finally a thing she wanted, civilization. A soft yet weak smile slowly formed on her lips as she pressed her finger onto the place before she turned her head back to the road and pressed her foot onto the gas pedal to increase speed and raced down this road.

Ten minutes later, she took the turn to the town she spotted on the map, but instead of driving through an open town, her eyes spotted a gigantic gate. A short frown formed upon her forehead whilst she hit the brakes and let the vehicle come to a halt. Was this already taken? Curiosity was pooling deep within her, prodding her conscious in the hope that she was going to find out whether this place was abandoned or not. She forced her lips in a thin line as she unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the door to slip out of her vehicle, taking her gun with her as she took her steps away from her vehicle and approached the gate. She was afraid, of course she was afraid. Ever since her old group had encountered Woodbury, she never realized how insane some people could be, especially when the world has come to an end and there's nothing left to do but surviving. She tightly held onto her gun to the point where her knuckles grew white, she slowly stopped in front of the gate and gazed into the quiet town in front of her. From the looks of it, it seemed that this town was abandoned, there weren't even walkers on the streets, it was just, completely empty. A sign of relief suddenly washed over her face as the stress left her body, she finally found a safe place. After days of traveling, she finally found a place where she could rest without looking over her shoulder. She pushed her gun to let it rest on her back as her hands dropped to the strong chains which kept the gate from slamming open and kept the walkers out, and slowly she loosened them and pulled the gates open.

_"A home, finally a home!"_ she thought as she hurried back to her car and sat back down in her seat before driving through the open gates, entering the peaceful and safe town she always wished to live in again. Sure, the prison was a safe place as well, but for how long? She was just happy that she was finally away from all the danger outside, no Governor, no Woodbury soldiers, no walkers! She was finally safe, but for how long?


	2. Chapter two, rest

**Hiya! New chapter! I'm glad you like it, and thanks for the reviews! Again, I'm sorry if I switch from third person POV to first person POV. I checked the chapters and fixed it as far as I could. But if some mistakes are still out there, then please tell me! - L.**

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With her eyes on the prize, Carol drove through the empty street of the abandoned town. These days of traveling, the things she did, it was worth it. She finally found a place she could rest her head and sleep with both eyes closed. No fear, no worries, nothing. It was all gone the second she drove through the gates and locked it behind her, she was safe. Her eyes scan the area, watching every single house she passed by until she hit the brakes and stopped in front of the gigantic brown house. A soft smile forms upon her lips as she shut down the engine and took the keys out of the ignition before she stepped out of her vehicle and stared at the house. The yard was still a mess, the grass was long but why would that bother her? At least she has her own safe place now, instead of driving through the small towns filled with walkers. It was almost too good to be true, and perhaps it really was too good to be true. Her hand reaches to her arm only to pinch herself just to be sure she wasn't dreaming, she flinched as her nails sunk into her flesh. No, this was real. A bright smile flashing upon her tired features as she quickly hurried through the yard to reach the porch and once she reached it, she rested her hand to the wooden door to push it open.

The creaking sound filled the quiet area as Carol stepped into the house and her eyes widened in admiration. It was beautiful compared to the yard, as if someone has been here only to clean it up and left again. Her head slanted to the side as she slowly took her steps further, her hand brushing along the wall before grabbing onto the door jamb, pulling her forward as her knees grew weak. She was tired, so tired that she was about to pass out on the floor; her shoulders completely sore from all the heavy lifting and staying in the same position the whole time without stopping and stretch. She felt like she was made of wood, unable to move. Slowly she stumbled further to the point she just dropped herself onto the nearest couch, dust jumped up in the air the second her back made contact with the softness. Even this couch was better than the hard bunk beds back at the prison, way better. The grip on her rifle loosened to the point that the weapon fell on the floor, she felt how fast she actually drifted off. Rest, finally she could rest.

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His heavy eyes remain on the road he was driving on the past few hours, but doubt didn't seem to knock on his front door. His mind still processing the previous events he faced with Rick and the others, how he just walked out on them without saying goodbye, only to find the person he cared deeply about.

"_It's worth it,"_

Daryl mumbled softly to himself as he applied more pressure on the gas pedal and moved the gear-shift from three to four and gained more speed. The best part of the end of the world was that he could race down the road without even thinking about hitting the brakes because some guy decides to go slow, that was the only thing he enjoyed about this depressing world. Although he couldn't seem to enjoy it right now, his goal was to find Carol before something bad happens to her. Who knows what happens? He swallowed back thickly whilst his features hardened the second a memory flashed by. What if the Governor found her? His heart clenched within his chest before he shook his head and cursed in himself. No, no way that it was possible, he shouldn't be thinking like that. After all, The Governor was nowhere to be found, Michonne made sure of that while she was outside looking for him every single day for the past thirty days. Slowly he moved his hand up to rub in his eyes one by one, trying to focus on this journey but the depressing thought was there, hidden deep within.

Why couldn't he just think positive for the moment? Who knows, maybe she had found a new group and was somewhere safe? A new family with good protection, perhaps even a few walls around her that kept them safe as well. Maybe she was just hiding in another prison, not that there were many around here. There was a possibility that she was safe and sound, smiling and laughing, trying to forget the hard days she encountered during the years of this fading world. Maybe she has forgotten about him already, maybe she has forgotten the prison and the troubles they had, the enemies, the walkers.

A short breath left Daryl's lips as his shoulders dropped, the thought of her forgetting about him somehow depresses him. But why? It wasn't love that he felt, or was it? His eyebrows slowly formed a frown as he averted his gaze to his own hands, swallowing away the lump that grew down his throat. He wasn't in love with her, he just deeply cared about her, or at least he somehow hoped that he only cared about her instead of love. Love seemed to be more of a distraction in this world, it always seemed to make things worse somehow. Love was weakness, even though it didn't feel like weakness at all. Slowly, Daryl's foot left the gas pedal only to hit the brakes as he was in too deep with his thoughts, he wasn't even aware of the fact that he was doing this. Carol was kind of showing interest in him, reminded him to go on, even after Merle's death. She was there for him, comforted him even though he didn't ask for comfort at all. This was so confusing, it frustrated him.

A low growl leaves the back of his throat as his head was aching from all these thoughts, his heart was beating against his chest as his emotions were shifting from completely neutral to anger once again; hands were balling into fists to the point where Daryl just punched the steering wheel and the horn echoed through the area without even thinking about the fact that the sound could attract walkers. He was too occupied with his own mind that he forgot about the consequences of this all. A deep breath slowly leaves his lips as he lowered his head to rest it against the wheel, his hands throbbing as result of him lashing out. Perhaps he was just tired of driving that it ruined his way of thinking, he just wanted some rest, a short break from tracking Carol. He forced his lips into a thin line as he closed his eyes, listening to the silence that surrounded him.

* * *

A soft whimper leaves Carol's lips whilst stirring in her sleep as she was struck in some kind of nightmare she couldn't get out.

"_Daryl?"_

She mumbled softly as a painful expression flashed upon her features, her hands grasping firmly onto the couch and slowly loosened again. Sweat was breaking the surface and dripped down her neck as she nuzzled her face into the corner of the couch. Her knees lifting up to the point she was completely curled up.

"_NO!"_

A high pitched scream left Carol's lips as she woke up and rolled off the couch. Her hands and knees slamming to the floor where her gun was supposed to lay, she swallowed back thickly. That was the worst dream she ever had, her eyes were filled with tears, relief washing over her while her eyes were locked onto the empty wooden floor beneath her. God, she was so glad that it was only just a dream and not reality. A short laughter left her lips while her shoulders dropped, she slowly shakes her head, trying to sit down on her knees whilst eyelids closed over her blue eyes again.

"_Oh, thank you, God."_

Carol said to herself as she kept laughing until a familiar grinding sound broke the silence.. _Chh Chh_ - The sound of a shotgun cocking, and loading a shell into the chamber, she slowly looked up and locked her gaze upon the barrel, Carol swallowed back whilst a trembling voice of the person standing in front of her filled the room..

"_W.. Who are you..?"_


End file.
